Fake Coartem and Zentel Tablets Hits Market ― FDA Warns

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has raised a red flag regarding the presence of some fake drugs on the Ghanaian market.

According to the authority, the falsified medications―Coaterm 20/120 and Zentel tablets, were identified in a market surveillance activity of sampling and testing of medicines using a Truscan RM analyser conducted by the authority.

In a statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the FDA, Mrs Delese Darko and addressed to the FDA’s Institutional Contact Persons and Pharmacovigilance, the authority called for immediate action from health facilities across the country to halt the sale of the drugs.

“In view of the probability of the above products finding their way into your facilities, you are to check for the presence or availability of these products in your facility, detain and report to the FDA immediately,” the statement read.

The counterfeit Coaterm 20/120 with active ingredient of Artemether/Lumefantrine and batch numbers NOF 2153 and F2261 are reported to be manufactured by renowned Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation in New York, USA.

The Zentel product containing Albendazol however, comes with batch number 340945 and was produced by Indian based Medreich Limited.

The statement added that, “the falsified Zentel has a NAFDAC registration number and Arabic writing on the pack.”

The products are said to be currently circulated in the Eastern and Ashanti Regions.

Health facilities and the general public are being encouraged to cooperate with the FDA to ensure these products are recalled from the market in order to safeguard public health and safety.